Apparatus to insert articles into bags

ABSTRACT

An apparatus ( 15 ) to aid in locating articles in bags produced by a packaging machine ( 10 ). The apparatus ( 15 ) includes a reservoir ( 40 ) to which the articles are delivered, with a plurality of discharge locations being located at angular spaced positions about the reservoir ( 40 ). Each of the discharge locations ( 24 ) includes an upwardly facing aperture ( 25 ) through which the articles are delivered to a central chute ( 27 ) from where the articles are located in the bags being formed. Adjacent each discharge location ( 24 ) is a conveyor device ( 29 ) that moves angularly so as to take articles from the reservoir ( 40 ) to the associated aperture ( 25 )

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to apparatus to insert (deposit) articlesin bags and more particularly but not exclusively to insert articlessuch as flavour satchels, cards or toys into bags containing a foodproduct, the food product for example being a snack food.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Frequently bags, such as bags containing a snack food, contain anarticle such as a flavour satchel or toy (cards).

Packaging machines include a former past which strip bag material passedto be configured into a tubular form. Product to be packaged isdelivered through the interior of the former to the interior of thetubular bag material. The bag material is longitudinally sealed, andtransversely scaled and cut so that discrete bags are formed containingthe food product.

Typically, the articles to be contained in the bags are delivered to theinterior of the former so as to pass with the product into the tubularbag material.

Previously known devices that insert the abovementioned articles sufferfrom a number of disadvantages including slowness of operation and lackof accuracy in respect of insuring that each bag contains the or therequired number of article/s.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantiallyameliorate the above disadvantage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There is disclosed herein an apparatus to aid in locating an article ina bag containing a product, said apparatus including:

a reservoir to receive a plurality of the articles and including anupwardly facing surface upon which the articles rest;

at least one discharge location, each location having a dischargeaperture to which the articles are delivered to be conveyed to apackaging machine that forms bags containing the product; and

a conveyor device to deliver the objects from the reservoir to thedischarge aperture, said device including:

a support, the support being movable between a first position and asecond position; and

an article engaging portion attached to the support so as to be at leastpartly supported thereby, said article engaging portion being locatedadjacent said surface when said support is in said first position so asto engage one of the articles so that the article is secured thereto,with said surface being located relative to said discharge aperture sothat upon release of the article engaged, said article is delivered tosaid discharge aperture when said support is in said second position.

Preferably, said support is moved angularly between the first and secondpositions.

Preferably, said support moves angularly about a generally horizontalaxis.

Preferably, said article engaging portion includes a contact area toengage the articles, said contact area surrounding an aperture to whicha reduced air pressure (relative to atmosphere) is delivered so thatarticles are urged against said contact area by air pressure.

Preferably, the reservoir surface is conical with a generally verticallongitudinal control axis so that said reservoir surface slopedownwardly to a generally annular periphery with said article engagingportion being located adjacent said periphery when said base is in saidfirst position.

Preferably, said apparatus further includes an assembly to vibrate saidreservoir surface.

Preferably, there is a plurality of discharge locations, and a pluralityof conveyor devices, each conveyor device being operatively associatedwith a respective one of the discharge locations, with the dischargelocations being angularly spaced about said axis.

Preferably, said apparatus further includes a motor operativelyassociated with each device to cause movement thereof between the firstand second positions.

Preferably, said apparatus further includes a control to co-ordinateoperation of the motors so that the articles are delivered to thedischarge apertures in a desired timed sequence.

Preferably, said apparatus further includes a chute operativelyassociated with the discharge apertures so as to receive the articlestherefrom so that the articles pass down the chute in said desired timedsequence.

Preferably, said apparatus further includes a hopper to receive aplurality of the articles, and a chute extending from the hopper todeliver the articles to said reservoir.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred form of the present invention will now bc described by wayof example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevation of a packing machine and apparatusto insert articles in bags produced by the packaging machine;

FIG. 2 is a schematic isometric view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic side elevation of the apparatus of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic top plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted a packagingmachine 10. The packaging machine 10 may be the packaging machinedescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,663,917. Located above the packagingmachine 10 is a scale 11 that delivers batches of product to theinterior of a former 12. Associated with the packaging machine 10 is apackaging film delivery device 13 that includes a reel 14 of strip bagmaterial. The strip bag material is delivered to the former 12 so as tobe configured into a tubular form. The packaging machine 10longitudinally seals the tubular bag material and transversely seals andcuts the tubular bag material so that each bag formed contains a desiredamount of product. The scale 11 includes gates that weigh the productand deliver the desired amount of product to the former 12 to be locatedin each bag.

Associated with the packaging machine 10 is an apparatus 15 thatdelivers to the former 12 articles to be located in the bags. Forexample, the apparatus 15 may deliver to the former 12 in a timed mannersatchels of flavouring so that each bag produced contains a satchel.Accordingly the apparatus 15 is operatively associated with thepackaging machine 10, together with the scale 11 by a control apparatus(computer) 16 so that the machine 10, scale 11 and apparatus 15 arecoordinated.

The apparatus 15 includes a hopper 17 into which a relatively largenumber of the articles is delivered. The lower end of the hopper 15 hasa chute 18 along which the articles slide to be delivered to an upwardlyfacing surface 19. Typically the surface 19 is of a conicalconfiguration having a generally vertical longitudinal central axis 20.The surface 19 slopes downwardly from the apex at the axis 20 to agenerally annular peripheral surface 21. The surface 21 has extendingupwardly from it a wall 39 so that the surfaces 19 and 21, and wall 39provide a reservoir 40 to receive the articles.

The surface 19 is provided by a sheet member 22 attached to a driveassembly 23. The drive assembly 23 vibrates the surface 19 so thatarticles delivered thereto move towards the peripheral surface 21. Asbest seen in FIG. 2, the chute 18 delivers the articles to approximatelythe apex of the surface 19.

Surrounding the surface 19 is a plurality of discharge locations 24 thatinclude an upwardly facing discharge aperture 25, each aperture 25leading to a chute 26 that leads to a central chute 27. Articlesdelivered to the apertures 25 pass down their respective chute 26 to bedelivered to the central chute 27. The central chute 27 extends to theformer 12.

The apparatus 15 includes a base 28 that generally surrounds the surface19 and supports a plurality of conveying devices 29. Each conveyingdevice 29 is operatively associated with a respective one of theapertures 25 so that each device 29 can transport an engaged one of thearticles on the surface 19 and deliver it to the associated aperture 25so that the article will find its way to the former 12 to be located ina bag to be formed by the packaging machine 10. The conveyor devices 29are angularly spaced about the axis 20.

Each conveying device 29 includes an arm (support) 30 consisting of twoelongated members 31 that are pivotally attached to the base 28 by meansof a shaft 32. The elongated members 31 extend from the shaft 32 and areangularly moved thereby about a generally horizontal axis 38 provided bythe respective shaft 32. Operatively associated with each shaft 32 is amotor 41 that drives the associated shaft 32 angularly so that theextremity of the elongated members 31 moves as best shown in FIG. 3,that is through about 180°.

The extremities of each pair of members 31 is joined by a rod 33.Attached to each rod 33 is an article engaging portion 34 thatterminates with a surface 35 that abuts an article to be lifted. Eachportion 34 is supported by its respective arm 30. Each surface (area) 35surrounds an aperture to which a reduced air pressure is delivered. Moreparticularly each article engaging portion 34 is provided by a tubularmember to which there is attached a flexible tube 36 extending to an airpump so that a reduced air pressure is delivered to the aperturesurrounded by the respective area 35.

Each portion 34 is pivotally attached to the associated rod 33 so thatthe portion 34 remains generally vertically oriented.

As best seen in FIG. 3, when an article is engaged it is conveyed alonga generally arcuate path 39 until it is above the adjacent aperture 35whereat it is released.

Associated with each tube 36 is an air pump and control mechanism 37.The air pump and control mechanism 37 delivers reduced air pressure tothe associated tube 36, however when each portion 34 is above itsrespective aperture 25, the vacuum in the tube 36 is dissipated and apositive air pressure pulse delivered to the tube 36 so that the articlelocated above the respective aperture 25 is released and moreparticularly is propelled toward the aperture 25.

The pump and control mechanisms 37 are operatively associated with thecontrol 16 so that the articles passing down the central chute 27 arespaced on a timed manner so that each bag receives one article or morearticles if desired.

The shafts 32 are angularly driven so as to angularly oscillate betweena first position at which each portion 34 is located above itsrespective aperture, and a second position at which each portion 34 islocated adjacent the peripheral surface 21 so as to pick up an articlefrom the surface 19. When engaged an article is maintained against thesurface 35 by air pressure until released.

1. An apparatus to aid in locating an article in a bag containing aproduct, said apparatus including: a reservoir to receive a plurality ofthe articles and including an upwardly facing surface upon which thearticles rest; at least one discharge location, each location having adischarge aperture to which the articles are delivered to be conveyed toa packaging machine that forms bags containing the product; and aconveyor device to deliver the objects from the reservoir to thedischarge aperture, said device including: a support, the support beingmovable between a first position and a second position; and an articleengaging portion attached to the support so as to be at least partlysupported thereby, said article engaging portion being located adjacentsaid surface when said support is in said first position so as to engageone of the articles so that the article is secured thereto, with saidsurface being located relative to said discharge aperture so that uponrelease of the article engaged, said article is delivered to saiddischarge aperture when said support is in said second position.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein said support is moved angularly betweenthe first and second positions.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, whereinsaid support moves angularly about a generally horizontal axis.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 3, wherein said article engaging portion includes acontact area to engage the articles, said contact area surrounding anaperture to which a reduced air pressure (relative to atmosphere) isdelivered so that articles are urged against said contact area by airpressure.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the reservoir surface isconical with a generally vertical longitudinal central axis so that saidreservoir surface slopes downwardly to a generally annular peripherywith said article engaging portion being located adjacent said peripherywhen said support is in said first position.
 6. The apparatus of claim5, further including an assembly to vibrate said reservoir surface. 7.The apparatus of claim 6, wherein there is a plurality of dischargelocations, and a plurality of conveyor devices, each conveyor devicebeing operatively associated with a respective one of the dischargelocations, with the discharge locations being angularly spaced aboutsaid axis.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7, further including a motoroperatively associated with each support to cause movement thereofbetween the first and second positions.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8,further including a control to co-ordinate operation of the motors sothat the articles are delivered to the discharge apertures in a desiredtimed sequence.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9, further including a chuteoperatively associated with the discharge apertures so as to receive thearticles therefrom so that the articles pass down the chute in saiddesired timed sequence.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, further includinga hopper to receive a plurality of the articles, and a chute extendingfrom the hopper to deliver the articles to said reservoir.
 12. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein said article engaging portion includes acontact area to engage the articles, said contact area surrounding anaperture to which a reduced air pressure (relative to atmosphere) isdelivered so that articles are urged against said contact area by airpressure.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the reservoir surfaceis conical with a generally vertical longitudinal central axis so thatsaid reservoir surface slopes downwardly to a generally annularperiphery with said article engaging portion being located adjacent saidperiphery when said support is in said first position.
 14. The apparatusof claim 13, further including an assembly to vibrate said reservoirsurface.
 15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein there is a plurality ofdischarge locations, and a plurality of conveyor devices, each conveyordevice being operatively associated with a respective one of thedischarge locations, with the discharge locations being angularly spacedabout said axis.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15, further including amotor operatively associated with each support to cause movement thereofbetween the first and second positions.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16,further including a control to co-ordinate operation of the motors sothat the articles are delivered to the discharge apertures in a desiredtimed sequence.
 18. The apparatus of claim 17, further including a chuteoperatively associated with the discharge apertures so as to receive thearticles therefrom so that the articles pass down the chute in saiddesired timed sequence.
 19. The apparatus of claim 18, further includinga hopper to receive a plurality of the articles, and a chute extendingfrom the hopper to deliver the articles to said reservoir.
 20. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the reservoir surface is conical with agenerally vertical longitudinal central axis so that said reservoirsurface slopes downwardly to a generally annular periphery with saidarticle engaging portion being located adjacent said periphery when saidsupport is in said first position.
 21. The apparatus of claim 20,further including an assembly to vibrate said reservoir surface.
 22. Theapparatus of claim 21, wherein there is a plurality of dischargelocations, and a plurality of conveyor devices, each conveyor devicebeing operatively associated with a respective one of the dischargelocations, with the discharge locations being angularly spaced aboutsaid axis.
 23. The apparatus of claim 22, further including a motoroperatively associated with each support to cause movement thereofbetween the first and second positions.
 24. The apparatus of claim 23,further including a control to co-ordinate operation of the motors sothat the articles are delivered to the discharge apertures in a desiredtimed sequence.
 25. The apparatus of claim 24, further including a chuteoperatively associated with the discharge apertures so as to receive thearticles therefrom so that the articles pass down the chute in saiddesired timed sequence.
 26. The apparatus of claim 20, further includinga hopper to receive a plurality of the articles, and a chute extendingfrom the hopper to deliver the articles to said reservoir.